This invention relates generally to a communication system and more particularly, to a communication system for communicating energy consumption data in a high rise building.
High rise apartment facilities are transitioning away from "rent inclusive" packages to packages wherein tenants are individually billed for utility services such as electricity. To individually bill each tenant, the electricity consumption for each apartment unit must be metered. Typically, separate meters are utilized to collect and store such consumption data. In addition, the consumption data for each apartment unit must be collected and provided to the utility billing department so that bills can be prepared and sent to each tenant.
To reduce the time and costs associated with reading many meters, automated meter reading (AMR) systems may be utilized. Some systems utilize, for example, power line or radio communications. Other systems are hybrids, i.e., both power line and radio communications are utilized. Typically, with known AMR systems, data and commands can be transmitted between a central station and the electricity meters. Such systems enable utilities to easily and quickly obtain energy consumption measurements at many different sites.
In a high rise apartment facility, radio communications may not be feasible due to signal interference. Also, power line communications between a central station and each meter in the apartment facility may be prevented by components within the delivery network. For example, in a high rise apartment facility, electricity is transported to higher floors at 480 volts and then stepped down to 208 volts at a distribution board. A distribution board generally is associated with each floor to step down the line voltage to an appropriate magnitude for each apartment unit on that particular floor. Energy consumption of each apartment unit is separately metered at, or downstream from, the distribution board.
In order to communicate via the power lines from a central station to an electricity meter in the highrise facility, a communication signal must pass through a distribution board. The distribution boards, however, highly attenuate the communication signals. As a result, the integrity of the communication signal may be compromised.
It would be desirable to provide a communication system which enables automated meter reading of meters in high rise complexes such as apartment complexes.